veteran of many a British campaign, and
friend of Kitchener, the good old story teller praised the boys and
prayed with them. Major Nichols and Major Alabernarde spoke cheering and
bracing words to the assembled American and French soldiers. It was an
occasion that raised fighting morale.

The President's Thanksgiving proclamation was transmitted to the
American troops in Russia through the office of the American Embassy.
The soldiers listened intently to the words of Mr. De Witt C. Poole,
Jr., the American Charge d'Affaires who since the departure of
Ambassador Francis, was the American diplomatic representative in
European Russia. His message was as follows:

"The military Command has been asked to make this day a holiday for
the troops, so far as military requirements permit, and to communicate
to them upon an occasion fraught with tradition and historical
memories, the hearty greetings of all Americans who are working with
them in Northern Russia.

"The American Embassy desires the troops to know that both here and at
Washington there is a full understanding of the difficulties of the
work which they are being called upon to do and a desire no less
ardent than their own that they should realize as soon as possible the
blessings of the peace which is foreshadowed by the armistice on the
Western Front."

The chief note in the President's proclamation which lingered on the
doughboy's ear was as follows:

"Our gallant armies have participated in a triumph which is not marred
or stained by any purpose of selfish aggression. In a righteous cause
they have won immortal glory and have nobly served their nation in
serving mankind."

Work of building blockhouses went rapidly forward under the steady work
of the 310th Engineers and the cheerful labor of the infantrymen who
found the occupation of swinging axes and hauling logs through the snow
to be not unpleasant exercise in the stinging winter weather that was
closing down. A commodious building began to go up at 455 for the Y. M.
C. A. French-Russian force under a terrific bombardment and barrage of
machine to use for winter entertainments for the men stationed in that
stronghold.

Exploration of the now more available winter swamp trails went on
carefully. The chain of lakes and swamps several miles to the west ran
north from Sheleksa concentration camp of the Bolos to Bolsheozerki,
parallel to the Railroad line of operations. This B